Flood insurance program stuck in limbo

WASHINGTON — The struggle to figure out the future of a federal program that provides insurance to homeowners in flood-prone areas rages on, and there appears to be no end in sight, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Last Thursday, the House passed a one-month extension of the federal government''s flood insurance program, acting a mere two weeks before hurricane season begins, the article stated.

That puts the pressure on the Senate, where leaders are considering an approach that would require them to pass a short-term extension of their own while trying to cobble together support for a five-year extension similar to what the House has already acted upon, the article noted.

"There is simply no reason that, in the next few weeks, we cannot sit down and reconcile any differences that remain between the House and Senate visions," Rep. Judy Biggert (R, Ill.) said during floor debate last Wednesday, expressing frustration with a process that has seen lawmakers pass a series of short-term extensions of the program.